Trade Compliance Blog » customs border protection

CBP Adds Electronic Reading Room

Caroline — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:50:05 +0000

U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched a new Electronic Reading Room to increase access to information available from the Freedom of Information Act. Their press release is below. Visit the Electronic Reading Room at http://foia.cbp.gov.

The upgraded CBP Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room will feature records and documents formerly only available through FOIA request. Documents and records responding to certain FOIA requests are now available at foia.cbp.gov. ( FOIA Reading Room )

“CBP is striving to boost agency transparency and accountability, while promoting efficiency and effectiveness through the use of technology,” said Acting Commissioner Jayson P. Ahern. “We hope the public will visit the Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room for the most direct access to information and to avoid the need to go through the FOIA request process.”

The border security agency follows FOIA requirements and makes four distinct categories of records available for public inspection and copying. Consequently, documents featured in the FOIA Electronic Reading Room will consist of final opinions and orders rendered in the adjudication of administrative cases; specific agency policy statements; certain administrative staff manuals; and various records disclosed in response to a FOIA request.

The CBP FOIA Division launched the upgraded Reading Room to proactively share information that includes policies and procedures, awarded contracts and grants, manuals and instructions, final opinions, common FOIA requests, and logs of FOIA requests received by the agency.

CBP Trade Symposium: In Person and Online

Caroline — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:30:08 +0000

Registration begins tomorrow, October 1, for the annual CBP Trade Symposium, being held December 8-10th, 2009.

As this year is the 10th year of the symposium, the exhibits and presentation is focused around the progress made in key areas since 1999. The agenda for the symposium includes:

Modernization
Trade Policy
Intellectual Property Rights
Importer Security Filing
North American Border Issues
Port Operations
Automated Commercial Environment
Importer Self Assessment
Business Resumption Planning
C-TPAT
Interagency Collaboration
The Rulings Process

The cost for attendence is $290.00. However, in addition to attending in person at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, participants can alternately attend virtually via webcast.

Webcasting
This year, we will be unveiling a new capability for the international trade community to participate in the Trade Symposium. We are offering participation via a live webcast, whereby participants may view and interactively participate in the Trade Symposium online. The cost for the Trade Symposium participation via the live webcasting is $35.00 U.S. dollars.

As a complimentary feature, participants who pay to attend the Trade Symposium onsite or via the live webcast will also be provided with a 30-day on-demand access via the Internet free of charge.

Break Out Sessions:


AD/CVD Functionality and responding to forms related to ACS Entry Summaries in the ACE Secure Data Portal	Come learn about the plans for the January 2010 delivery of Antidumping and Countervailing duty functionality in ACE, and the ability to respond to forms related to ACS entry summaries via ACE.
ACE Entry Summary Post Summary Corrections and Beyond	Discuss with the experts the plans for ACE entry summary Post Summary Corrections and upcoming ACE functionality.
ISA: Making the Grade for Self-Governance of Trade Compliance	How do you make trade partnership work for you? CBP and members of the trade present lessons learned from implementing internal controls over customs processes to secure America.
CBP Business Resumption Planning	Learn about CBP’s current business resumption planning activities and the role of the trade community in these efforts. Find out how to ensure your organization is plugged in to get necessary information from CBP should a trade disrupting incident occur.
C-TPAT—Minimum Security Criteria Enhancements	Updates of the Minimum Security Criteria (MSC) What’s happening with Consolidator “guidelines” Current efforts to strengthen the validation process regarding supply chains from Mexico
Importer Security Filing/10+2	ISF program updates, best practices, and lessons learned ISF compliance measures and enforcement strategy Discussion on program enhancements
The Rulings Process Reviewed	In the last two decades alone, CBP has published more than 158,000 rulings – an average of nearly 8,000 per year! Come hear CBP’s experts walk through the process and provide tips for navigating it successfully – - there will be information of interest for beginners and experts alike.
Navigating Regulation by Multiple Agencies: How to Manage Interagency Cooperation	Integrating regulatory activity at and beyond the border presents challenges for the government and the trade. Learn what’s on the horizon and contribute your ideas to strengthen interagency collaboration.

For additional information and to register, visit the CBP Trade Symposium 2009.

Bersin Nominated to Head CBP

Caroline — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:28:20 +0000

Alan Bersin, former US Border Czar, has been nominated by President Obama as Customs & Border Protection (CBP) commissioner. Bersin is currently the special representative for border affairs, working with Mexican leaders and U.S. border-area agencies on challenges such as drugs and immigration.

Bersin will continue to advise Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on issues related to Mexico and the border, although he will relinquish the title of special representative, officials said.

“Under Alan’s leadership over the past several months, we have forged new international and domestic partnerships along our borders to strengthen security,” Napolitano said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to work with Alan in his new position.”

Since April, Bersin was the assistant secretary for international affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. In 1995, he was appointed to the position of border czar by then-Attorney General Janet Reno. In this position, he coordinated the efforts of the multiple law enforcement and federal agencies at the US-Mexico border.

Bersin also has experience coordinating a different disorganized group – students. As superintendent of the San Diego school district, he gained a reputation as an “energetic innovator” but clashed with teachers resistant to change.

For more details on Bersin and his nomination, visit the LA Times (although, they omit the fact that CBP also is tasked with enforcing US trade regulations!)